Image forming apparatus with removable feeding unit

ABSTRACT

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main assembly having a door, a feeding unit including first and second rotatable members configured to form a nip for feeding a sheet and a moving mechanism configured to move the first rotatable member in a spacing direction relative to the second rotatable member, a power source provided in the apparatus main assembly, and a motor provided in the apparatus main assembly and configured to drive the moving mechanism. The feeding unit is detachably mountable to the apparatus main assembly upon opening of the door. An electric power supplying path is capable of supplying electric power from the power source to the motor via the feeding unit despite the door being in an open state.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as acopying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine or a multi-functionmachine having a plurality of functions of these machines.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, atoner image is formed on a recording material (sheet) using anelectrophotographic process and is fixed on the recording material byheating the recording material by a pair of rotatable members of afixing device while nipping and feeding the recording material.

In such an image forming apparatus, a constitution in which electricpower supply to a driving source for driving the fixing device isinterrupted when an openable door is opened for permitting access to thefixing device has been proposed (see, Japanese Laid-Open PatentApplication 2000-134787).

However, in the case of a constitution in which the electric powersupply to the driving source for driving the fixing device is forcedlyinterrupted with opening of the openable door, for example, the electricpower supply is interrupted also in the case where the openable door isopened for jam clearance (for removing a stagnated recording material byan operator). On the other hand, in order to facilitate a jam clearanceoperation by the operator, it is preferable that a state in which thepair of rotatable members is pressed against each other is eliminated orthat the pair of rotatable members is placed in a light-pressure state.In such the background, when the openable door is erroneously opened,the electric power supply to the driving source is interrupted, so thattransfer of the pair of rotatable members to the pressure-released stateor the light-pressure state cannot be performed. Incidentally, such aproblem can arise not only in the fixing device but also similarly in afeeding device for feeding the recording material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided an image formingapparatus comprising: an apparatus main assembly including a door; afeeding unit including first and second rotatable members configured toform a nip for feeding a sheet and a moving mechanism configured to movethe first rotatable member in a spacing direction from the secondrotatable member, wherein the feeding unit is detachably mountable tothe apparatus main assembly with opening of the door; a power sourceprovided in the apparatus main assembly; a driving source, provided inthe apparatus main assembly, configured to drive the moving mechanism;and an electric power supplying path capable of supplying electric powerfrom the power source to the driving source via the feeding unit despitethe door being in an open state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a fixing device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a pressure eliminating mechanism ofthe fixing device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the fixing deviceis mounted in an apparatus main assembly.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the fixing deviceis demounted from the apparatus main assembly.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the fixing device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an electric power supplying path inthe state in which the fixing device is mounted in the apparatus mainassembly.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the electric power supplying path inthe state in which the fixing device is demounted from the apparatusmain assembly.

EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIG. 1 toFIG. 8. First, a schematic structure of an image forming apparatus inthis embodiment will be described using FIG. 1.

[Image Forming Apparatus]

An image forming apparatus 10 in this embodiment is a full-color printeremploying an electrophotographic type. Such an image forming apparatus10 includes an image forming portion 11 for forming a toner image and arecording material feeding portion 12 for feeding a recording material(sheet) for transferring thereon the toner image formed by the imageforming portion 11. Incidentally, as the recording material, it ispossible to cite, for example, a transfer sheet, an electrofax sheet,electrostatic recording paper, an OHP sheet, printing paper, formatpaper, and so on. The image forming portion 11 has a constitution of aso-called tandem type in which a plurality of image forming stations 1a, 1 b, 1 c, 1 d are arranged in a traveling direction of anintermediary transfer belt 13. At the image forming stations 1 a, 1 b, 1c, 1 d, toner images of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are formed,respectively. In the case of this embodiment, each of the respectiveimage forming stations 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 1 d is constituted by a processcartridge.

At each of the image forming stations, the toner image is formed in thefollowing manner. First, a surface of a photosensitive drum 14 iselectrically charged by a charging device such as a charging roller, andthe charged surface of the photosensitive drum 14 is exposed by anexposure device 15 to light depending on image information by a laser orthe like, so that an electrostatic latent image is formed. Then, theelectrostatic latent image is developed with a toner by a developingdevice, so that the toner image is formed on the surface of thephotosensitive drum 14.

The toner images formed on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 14of the respective image forming stations are successively transferredsuperposedly on the intermediary transfer belt 13 at primary transferportions T1, so that a full-color toner image is formed on theintermediary transfer belt 13. At the primary transfer portion T1, aprimary transfer roller 16 as a primary transfer portion is disposedopposed to the photosensitive drum 14 while sandwiching the intermediarytransfer belt 13 therebetween. Then, by applying a primary transfer biasbetween the primary transfer roller 16 and the photosensitive drum 14,the toner image on the photosensitive drum 14 is transferred onto theintermediary transfer belt 13.

The toner images on the intermediary transfer belt 13 are transferredonto a recording material P fed by a recording material feeding portion12 at a secondary transfer portion T2. At the secondary transfer portionT2, an inner secondary transfer roller 17 a and an outer secondarytransfer roller 17 b which are provided opposed to each other whilesandwiching the intermediary transfer belt 13 therebetween are disposed.Then, by applying a secondary transfer bias between the inner secondarytransfer roller 17 a and the outer secondary transfer roller 17 b, thetoner images on the intermediary transfer belt 13 are transferred ontothe recording material P. The recording material P on which the tonerimages are transferred is heated and pressed by a fixing device 100 as aheating device, so that the toner images are fixed. Details of thefixing device 100 will be described later. The recording material P onwhich the toner images are fixed is discharged onto a discharge tray 19by a discharging roller 19.

The recording material feeding portion 12 is constituted by a pluralityof feeding rollers, and the recording material P accommodated in acassette 20 is picked up by a pick-up roller 21 and is fed to a feedingpath 22. The recording material P fed to the feeding path 22 is fed tothe secondary transfer portion T2 by a registration roller pair 23 bybeing timed to the toner images formed on the image forming portion 11.Further, the recording material P discharged from the fixing device 100is reversed for effecting double-side printing and is fed to a reversefeeding path 30 in addition to the discharge onto the discharge tray 19as described above. The recording material P fed through the reversefeeding path 30 merges with the feeding path 22 and is fed to thesecondary transfer portion T2 similarly as described above.

Further, in the case of this embodiment, on an apparatus main assembly24 in which the above-described various devices are disposed, anopenable door 25 for permitting access to internal parts (components) isprovided so as to open and close freely. The openable door 25 isprovided rotatably about a rotation shaft 26 on a side where the feedingpath 22 and the fixing device 100 are disposed. Then, by opening theopenable door 25, the fixing device 100 and the feeding path 22 areexposed, so that mounting and demounting of the fixing device 100 andremoval of a jammed recording material become possible. For this reason,the fixing device 100 is provided so as to be detachably mountable tothe apparatus main assembly 24. A one-side roller of a feeding rollerpair such as the registration roller pair 23 is disposed in the feedingpath 22, and the outer secondary transfer roller 17 b constituting thesecondary transfer portion T2 is provided on the openable door 25 side.Further, when the openable door 25 is opened, these rollers are spacedfrom the opposing rollers and the intermediary transfer belt 13.

[Fixing Device]

Next, details of the fixing device (image heating apparatus) 100functioning as a feeding unit for nipping and feeding the recordingmaterial (sheet) will be described using FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The fixingdevice 100 includes a pair of rotatable members, i.e., a fixing film 101and an opposite roller 102 disposed opposed to this fixing film 101.Between these fixing film 101 and opposite roller 102, a nip (portion) Nthrough which the recording material is nipped and fed is formed, andthe toner images formed on the recording material passing through thenip N are heated by a heater 104 as a heating source. Further, apressure (pressure at the nip N) exerted between the fixing film 101 andthe opposite roller 102 is substantially capable of being eliminated (apressure during fixing at the nip N is eliminated or reduced) by apressure eliminating mechanism 103.

The fixing film 101 is a cylindrical heat-resistant member obtained byforming an elastic layer on a base layer of a cylindrical thin metal,and is loosely fitted in locus-regulating members 105 disposed at bothend portions of the fixing film 101. With respect to such a fixing film101, in order to improve a quick start property by making a thermalcapacity small, a film thickness is made 100 μm or less, preferably 20μm or more and 50 μm or less. The fixing film 101 may also be a filmincluding a base layer formed of metal such as SUS or may also be asingle-layer film such as PTFE, PFA or FEP which have a heat-resistantproperty. Or, the fixing film 101 may also be a composite-layer filmincluding a base layer of polyimide, polyamideimide, PEEK, PES, PPS orthe like and a coating or coated layer of PTFE, PFA, FEP or the like onan outer peripheral surface of the base layer.

The opposite roller 102 is constituted by a core metal consisting ofmetal such as iron and a heat-resistant elastic material layer, moldedand coated concentrically integrally about the core metal, formed of asilicone rubber, a fluorine-containing rubber or a fluorine-containingresin, and a parting layer is provided as a surface layer. For example,as a material for the parting layer, it is possible to select amaterial, having a good parting property and a good heat-resistantproperty, such as a fluorine-containing resin, a silicone resin, afluorine silicon rubber, a fluorine-containing rubber or a siliconerubber. At both end portions of the core metal, unshown pressing membersupporting members consisting of a heat-resistant resin such as PEEK,PPS or a liquid crystal polymer are mounted and rotatably supported.Further, the opposite roller 102 is driven by a motor 131, as a drivingsource, provided in the apparatus main assembly 24. The fixing film 101is rotated by rotationally driving the opposite roller 102, and feedsthe recording material nipped in the nip N.

As described above, the locus-regulating members 105 fitted in thefixing film 101 at the both end portions of the fixing film 101 aremembers consisting of PET, PPS, LCP or the like which is theheat-resistant resin. Such a locus-regulating member 105 is movablysupported by a side plate of the fixing device 100, and not onlyrotatably supports the fixing film 101 but also is disposed in a casingof the fixing device 100. Then, the locus-regulating member 105 not onlyguides rotation of the fixing film 101 but also functions as an abuttingportion of the fixing film 101 in a longitudinal direction (directioncrossing a recording material feeding direction at the nip N).

Inside the fixing film 101, a stay 106 is disposed along thelongitudinal direction, and both end portions of the stay 106 aresupported by the locus-regulating members 105. Such a stay 106 is amember principally consisting of a metal such as iron or SUS. Further,on an opposite roller 102 side of the stay 106, a press-contact member107 is disposed. Further, by pressing the stay 106 against thepress-contact member 107 made by a relatively soft resin, thepress-contact member 107 is caused to have a strength with respect tothe longitudinal direction (direction crossing the recording materialfeeding direction at the nip N) and the press-contact member 107 isrectified.

The press-contact member 107 is a heat-resistant and heat-insulatingmember having a substantially semi-circular shape in cross-section. Forexample, the press-contact member 107 is formed of a material, having agood insulating property and a good heat-resistant property, such as aphenolic resin, a polyimide resin, a polyamide resin, a polyamideimideresin, PEEK resin, PES resin, PPS resin, PFA resin, PTFE resin or LCPresin. Further, the press-contact member 107 performs functions ofbacking-up the fixing film 101, being press-contacted against the fixingfilm 101 toward the opposite roller 102 and realizing feeding stabilityof the fixing film 101 during rotation.

A ceramic heater (herein after referred to as a heater) 104 as a heatingsource is supported by the press-contact member 107. The heater 104 isengaged in a groove formed on a surface of the press-contact member 107on the nip N side along the longitudinal direction and is supported. Theheater 104 includes, as a basic structure, an elongated thin plate-likeceramic substrate and an electric power supplying heat generatingresistor layer, and is a low thermal capacitance heater increasing intemperature with an abrupt rising characteristic as a whole by electricpower supply to the heat generating resistor layer.

Further, in the case of this embodiment, the fixing film 101 is pressedtoward the opposite roller 101 by a pressing member 108, so that theabove-described nip N is formed. Such a pressing member 108 stretches aspring 109 as a pressing elastic member as shown in FIG. 3, and by anelastic force of the spring 109, the locus-regulating member 105 isurged (pressed against) toward the opposite roller 102. Accordingly, thepressing member 108 presses the press-contact member 107 toward theopposite roller 102 via the locus-regulating member 105 and the stay106. The press-contact member 107 is pressed, so that theabove-described nip N is formed between the fixing film 101 and theopposite roller 102.

The pressure eliminating mechanism 103 functioning as a moving mechanismmoves the above-described pressing member 108 to switch a state of thefixing film 101 and the opposite roller 102 between a state in which thefixing film 101 and the opposite roller 102 are pressed at the nip N anda state in which this (pressed) state is eliminated (a state in whichthe pressure is substantially eliminated or a state in which thepressure is lighter than that during the fixing). Such a pressureeliminating mechanism 103 includes a cam 103 a and a cam contact surface103 b contacting a cam surface of the cam 103 a formed on the pressingmember 108. The cam 103 a is driven by a motor 131, as a driving source,provided in the apparatus main assembly 24 and described later, andperforms pressure application and pressure (application) elimination ofthe nip N (the pressure at the nip N during the fixing is eliminated orreduced) by causing the cam surface to contact or be spaced from the camcontact surface 103 b of the pressing member 108.

During the pressure application of the nip N, as shown in FIG. 3, aphase of the cam 103 a is set so that the cam contact surface 103 b ofthe pressing member 108 does not contact the cam surface of the cam 103a. By this, the pressing member 108 presses the locus-regulating member105 by an elastic force of the spring 109, so that the nip N is pressed.

On the other hand, during the pressure elimination, the cam 103 arotates substantially 180 deg. from the state of FIG. 3, and the camsurface of the cam 103 a contacts the cam contact surface 103 b of thepressing member, so that the cam 103 a pushes up the pressing member 108against the elastic force of the spring 109. By this, the pressureapplication at the nip N is substantially eliminated (the pressure atthe nip N during the fixing is eliminated or reduced).

[Mounting and Demounting of Fixing Device]

As described above, the fixing device 100 is detachably mountable to theapparatus main assembly 24 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. That is, byopening the openable door 25 shown in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. 4, thefixing device 100 mounted in the apparatus main assembly 24 is exposed.Then, as shown in FIG. 5, by pulling-out the fixing device 100 in anarrow A direction, the fixing device 100 can be demounted from theapparatus main assembly 24. On the other hand, when the fixing device100 is mounted in the apparatus main assembly 24, the fixing device 100is pushed in an opposite direction to the arrow A direction in FIG. 5.

Further, during the mounting and the demounting of such a fixing device100, a first connector 121 (main assembly-side connector) shown in FIG.5 and provided in the apparatus main assembly 24 and a second connector(unit-side connector) 122 shown in FIG. 6 and provided on the fixingdevice 100 are detachably mountable to each other. Further, byconnection of the first connector 121 and the second connector 122, anelectric power supplying path 123 as shown in FIG. 7 is formed.

[Effect Power Supplying Path]

The electric power supplying path 123 supplies, as shown in FIG. 7,electric power from a power source 120 provided in the apparatus mainassembly 24 to the motor 131 via an inside of the fixing device 100(inside of the heating device) mounted in the apparatus main assembly24. That is, the electric power supplying path 123 includes the firstconnector 121 and the second connector 122 and supplies the electricpower from the power source 120 to the motor 131 via the first connector121 and the second connector 122. For this reason, inside the fixingdevice 100, a by-pass portion 123 a is formed as a part of the electricpower supplying path 123. Further, the electric power supplied from thepower source 120 into the fixing device 100 via the first connector 121and the second connector 122 is sent through the by-pass portion 123 ato be returned to the apparatus main assembly 24 side via the firstconnector 121 and the second connector 122 again. In this way, theelectric power returned to the apparatus main assembly 24 side is sentto the motor 131 of a fixing (device) driving portion 130 provided inthe apparatus main assembly 24, and drives the mount 131. Accordingly,the electric power supplying path 123 supplies the electric power fromthe power source 120 to the motor 131 in a state in which the fixingdevice 100 is mounted in the apparatus main assembly 24 and the firstconnector 121 and the second connector 122 are connected with eachother.

Incidentally, as the first connector 121 and the second connector 122,drawer connectors are used in an illustrated example, but if connectorscan satisfy an equivalent function, the first and second connectors arenot limited thereto. For example, such a type that a leaf spring memberhaving elasticity is contacted to a metal plate member constituting acontact (point) or the like type may also be employed.

Here, the apparatus main assembly 24 is provided with a plurality ofdoors including the openable door 25 and includes interlock switches 27which interrupt the electric power supply from the power source to theimage forming portion 11 and the recording material feeding portion 12by opening the doors. Accordingly, for example, when the openable doorfor permitting access to the image forming portion 11 is opened, theelectric power supply to the image forming portion 11 is forcedlyinterrupted. Or, when the openable door for permitting the access to theimage forming portion 11 is opened, a state in which the electric powersupply to the image forming portion 11 cannot be made is formed. Such aconstitution is similar also for the recording material feeding portion12. Incidentally, the interlock switch extends via the electric powersupplying path toward the heater 104 of the fixing device 100 andinterrupts the electric power supply to the heater 104 by the opening ofany of the doors including the openable door 25.

However, in this embodiment, the electric power supplying path 123toward the motor 131 of the fixing driving portion 130 does not extendvia all of the interlock switches. Accordingly, the electric powersupplying path 123 is capable of supplying the electric power from thepower source 120 to the motor 131 irrespective of the opening and theclosing of the openable door 25. That is, even when the openable door 25is opened, if the fixing device 100 is mounted in the apparatus mainassembly 24, a state in which the electric power is supplied to themotor 131 is formed. Particularly, in the case of this embodiment, theelectric power supplying path 123 does not extend via all of theinterlock switches, and therefore the motor 131 can be operatedirrespective of the open or closed state of all of the doors.

Further, in the case of this embodiment, with the opening of theopenable door 25, the motor 131 is driven to eliminate the pressureapplication at the nip N. Particularly, in this embodiment, in the casewhere any of the doors of the plurality of the doors including theopenable door 25 is opened, the pressure application at the nip N iseliminated. For this reason, all of the doors are provided with sensors140 (FIG. 7) for detecting that the doors are opened. Further, in thecase where the nip N is in the pressed state when the sensor 140 detectsthe opening of the door, a control portion (controller) 141 (FIG. 7)drives the pressure eliminating mechanism 103 by rotating the motor 131,and switches the nip N into a pressure-eliminated state. Incidentally,the pressed state of the nip N can be detected from a phase of the cam103 a, for example.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, in the case where the fixingdevice 100 is demounted from the apparatus main assembly 24, as shown inFIG. 8, the first connector 121 and the second connector 122 areseparated from each other and are in a non-contact state. As a result,the electric power supplying path 123 from the power source 120 to themotor 131 is interrupted, so that the electric power is not suppliedfrom the power source 120 to the motor 131.

[Driving Path of Fixing Device]

Here, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the fixing driving portion 130 fordriving the fixing device 100 is provided in the neighborhood of thefixing device 100 mounted in the apparatus main assembly 24. The fixingdriving portion 130 includes the motor 131 and, as described above, iscapable of transmitting power of the motor 131 to the opposite roller102 and the pressure eliminating mechanism 103. For this reason, thefixing driving portion 130 includes two driving gears 132 fortransmitting the power of the motor 131 to the opposite roller 102 andthe pressure eliminating mechanism 103, respectively. The two drivinggears 132 engage with a gear connected with the opposite roller 102 anda gear connected with the cam 103 a of the pressure eliminatingmechanism 103, respectively, which are provided on the fixing device 100side. Further, inside the fixing driving portion 130, a switchingmechanism for switching the drive transmitting path of the motor 131into the two driving gears 132 is provided, and is capable oftransmitting the power of the motor 131 to either of the driving gears132 by an instruction of the controller 141.

Accordingly, in the case where the recording material is fed to the nipN and the toner image on the recording material is heated, thecontroller 141 switches the path to a path for transmitting the power ofthe motor 131 to the opposite roller 102. On the other hand, in the casewhere the pressure elimination of the nip N is made, the controller 141switches the path to a path for transmitting the power of the motor 131to the cam 103 a.

In this way, the driving gears 132, of the fixing driving portion 130,provided in the apparatus main assembly 24 are, as shown in FIG. 4,covered with a protective wall portion 110 as a covering portion for thefixing device 100 in a state in which the fixing device 100 is mountedin the apparatus main assembly 24. The protective wall portion 110 isprojected and formed toward a side where the drive transmission from thedriving gears 132 of the fixing device 100 is effected. Further, in thestate in which the fixing device 100 is mounted in the apparatus mainassembly 24, a periphery of the driving gears 132 is covered with theprotective wall portion 110. The protective wall portion may also beprovided on the fixing driving portion 130 side so as not to interferewith the fixing device 100 during the mounting and the demounting of thefixing device 100.

As described above, in the state in which the fixing device 100 ismounted in the apparatus main assembly 24, even when the openable door25 is opened, the electric power is supplied to the motor 131, andtherefore a state in which the motor 131 is driven and the driving gears132 are rotatable is formed. Accordingly, by providing the protectivewall portion 110 as described above, even when the operator opens theopenable door 25 during jam clearance or during exchange (replacement)of the fixing device 100, the operator is prevented from touching thedriving gears 132.

On the other hand, in the case where the fixing device 100 is demountedfrom the apparatus main assembly 24, as shown in FIG. 5, the drivinggears 132 are exposed, and therefore a state in which the operator iscapable of touching the driving gears 132 is formed. In this embodiment,as described above, the electric power supplying path 123 from the powersource 120 to the motor 131 is formed so as to extend via the fixingdevice 100, and therefore in a state in which the fixing device 100 isdemounted from the apparatus main assembly 24, a state in which theelectric power is not supplied to the motor 131 is formed. Accordingly,as shown in FIG. 5, even when the driving gears 132 are exposed, thedriving gears 132 do not rotate.

In the case of this thus constituted embodiment, irrespective of theopening and the closing of the openable door 25, the electric power issupplied from the power source 120 to the motor 131. For this reason,although the openable door 25 is in the open state, the pressureeliminating mechanism 103 can be driven by the motor 131. By doing so,for example, even in the case where the openable door 25 is openedduring a printing operation and an operation of the image formingapparatus 100 stops partway and the (printing) operation stops in astate in which the recording material is nipped in the nip N, thepressure elimination of the nip N can be performed (the pressure at thenip N during the fixing is eliminated or reduced) by driving the motor131. As a result of this, an operating force for removing the recordingmaterial remaining in the nip N can be made small, so that it ispossible to prevent impartment of damage to the fixing device 100 in astate in which the recording material is torn and left in the mainassembly or the fixing device 100 is pulled by the recording material tobe removed.

Further, in the case of this embodiment, the electric power supplyingpath 123 extends via the inside of the fixing device 100, and thereforein the case where the fixing device 100 is demounted from the apparatusmain assembly 24, the electric power supply to the motor 131 isinterrupted. For this reason, even when the driving portion such as thedriving gears 132 is exposed by demounting the fixing device 100 fromthe apparatus main assembly 24, the driving portion is not driven.

Other Embodiments

In the above-described embodiment, as the fixing device, the case wherea constitution of the film heating type is used was described, but thepresent invention is not limited to such a film fixing type fixingdevice, and for example, is applicable to also a fixing device usinganother constitution such as a roller or a belt.

Further, the motor 131 as the driving source has a constitution, in theabove-described embodiment, in which both of the pressure eliminatingmechanism 103 and the opposite roller 102 are driven, but may only berequired to drive at least the pressure eliminating mechanism 103. Inthe case where only the pressure eliminating mechanism 103 is driven bythe motor 131, the opposite roller 102 is to be driven by anotherdriving source, but the electric power supply to this driving source mayalso be effected without going through the inside of the fixing deviceas in the electric power supplying path 123. That is, the driving sourcefor feeding the recording material at the nip may also be constituted sothat the electric power supply is interrupted when the openable door isopened. Further, in the above, an example in which the fixing device(feeding unit) is provided with a by-pass like electric power supplyingpath was described, but the present invention is not limited thereto,and a similar constitution (in which the by-pass like electric powersupplying path is provided) may also be applied to the recordingmaterial feeding portion 12. Specifically, with respect to a rotatablemember pair, for nipping and feeding the recording material, provided inthe recording material feeding portion 12 as the feeding unit, when theopenable door for permitting access to the recording material feedingportion 12 is opened, as long as the recording material feeding portion12 is mounted in the image forming apparatus, the recording materialfeeding portion 12 can be driven by the driving source.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, an image forming apparatus, in whicheven when an access door is opened during image formation, electricpower supply to a necessary portion is maintained, is provided.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: anapparatus main assembly including a door; a feeding unit including firstand second rotatable members configured to form a nip for feeding asheet and a moving mechanism configured to move the first rotatablemember in a spacing direction relative to the second rotatable member,wherein said feeding unit is detachably mountable to said apparatus mainassembly when the door is in an open state; a power source provided insaid apparatus main assembly; a motor, provided in said apparatus mainassembly, configured to drive the moving mechanism; and an electricpower supplying path capable of supplying electric power from said powersource to said motor via said feeding unit despite the door being in theopen state.
 2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising a main assembly-side connector provided in said apparatusmain assembly and a unit-side connector, provided on said feeding unit,capable of connecting with said main assembly-side connector with amounting operation of said feeding unit into said apparatus mainassembly, wherein said electric power supplying path includes a firstpath from said power source to said main assembly-side connector, asecond path from one portion of said unit-side connector connected withthe first path to another portion of said unit-side connector via saidfeeding unit, and a third path from a portion of said main assembly-sideconnector connected with the second path to said motor.
 3. An imageforming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sensorconfigured to detect opening of the door and a controller configured tosupply electric power from said power source to said motor via saidfeeding unit in order to move the first rotatable member in the spacingdirection from the second rotatable member in a case where apredetermined pressure is exerted between the first and second rotatablemembers when the opening of the door is detected by said sensor.
 4. Animage forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising animage forming portion, provided in said apparatus main assembly,configured to form an image, wherein said controller interrupts electricpower supply to said image forming portion with opening of the door. 5.An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the movingmechanism substantially eliminates the predetermined pressure exertedbetween the first and second rotatable members by a driving forcereceived from said motor.
 6. An image forming apparatus according toclaim 5, further comprising a pressing member configured to press thefirst rotatable member toward the second rotatable member and a camportion configured to move said pressing member by the driving forcereceived from said motor.
 7. An image forming apparatus according toclaim 1, further comprising a heater configured to fix a toner imageformed on the sheet at the nip.
 8. An image forming apparatuscomprising: an apparatus main assembly including a door; a feeding unitincluding first and second rotatable members configured to form a nipfor feeding a sheet and a moving mechanism configured to move the firstrotatable member in a spacing direction relative to the second rotatablemember, wherein said feeding unit is detachably mountable to saidapparatus main assembly when the door is in an open state; a powersource provided in said apparatus main assembly; and a motor, providedin said apparatus main assembly, configured to drive the movingmechanism, wherein said feeding unit includes an electric powersupplying path configured to output electric power inputted from saidpower source to said motor.
 9. An image forming apparatus according toclaim 8, further comprising a main assembly-side connector provided insaid apparatus main assembly and a unit-side connector, provided on saidfeeding unit, capable of connecting with said main assembly-sideconnector with a mounting operation of said feeding unit into saidapparatus main assembly, wherein said electric power supplying path isconnected with a path from said power source to said unit-side connectorvia said main assembly-side connector and is connected with a path fromsaid unit-side connector to said motor via said main assembly-sideconnector.
 10. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, furthercomprising a sensor configured to detect opening of the door and acontroller configured to supply electric power from said power source tosaid motor via said feeding unit in order to move the first rotatablemember in the spacing direction from the second rotatable member in acase where a predetermined pressure is exerted between the first andsecond rotatable members when the opening of the door is detected bysaid sensor.
 11. An image forming apparatus according to claim 10,further comprising an image forming portion, provided in said apparatusmain assembly, configured to form an image, wherein said controllerinterrupts electric power supply to said image forming portion withopening of the door.
 12. An image forming apparatus according to claim10, wherein the moving mechanism substantially eliminates thepredetermined pressure exerted between the first and second rotatablemembers by a driving force received from said motor.
 13. An imageforming apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a pressingmember configured to press the first rotatable member toward the secondrotatable member and a cam portion configured to move said pressingmember by a driving force received from said motor.
 14. An image formingapparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a heater configuredto fix a toner image formed on the sheet at the nip.
 15. An imageforming apparatus comprising: an apparatus main assembly including adoor; a feeding unit including first and second rotatable membersconfigured to form a nip for feeding a sheet and being detachablymountable to said apparatus main assembly when the door is in an openstate; a power source provided in said apparatus main assembly; a motor,provided in said apparatus main assembly, configured to drive saidfeeding unit; and an electric power supplying path capable of supplyingelectric power from said power source to said motor via said feedingunit despite the door being in the open state.
 16. An image formingapparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a main assembly-sideconnector provided in said apparatus main assembly and a unit-sideconnector, provided on said feeding unit, capable of connecting withsaid main assembly-side connector with a mounting operation of saidfeeding unit into said apparatus main assembly, wherein said electricpower supplying path includes a first path from said power source tosaid main assembly-side connector, a second path from one portion ofsaid unit-side connector connected with the first path to anotherportion of said unit-side connector via said feeding unit, and a thirdpath from a portion of said main assembly-side connector connected withthe second path to said motor.
 17. An image forming apparatus accordingto claim 15, further comprising a heater for fixing a toner image formedon the sheet at the nip.
 18. An image forming apparatus comprising: anapparatus main assembly including a door; a feeding unit including firstand second rotatable members configured to form a nip for feeding asheet and being detachably mountable to said apparatus main assemblywhen the door is in an open state; a power source provided in saidapparatus main assembly; and a motor, provided in said apparatus mainassembly, configured to drive said feeding unit, wherein said feedingunit includes an electric power supplying path configured to outputelectric power inputted from said power source to said motor.
 19. Animage forming apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a mainassembly-side connector provided in said apparatus main assembly and aunit-side connector, provided on said feeding unit, capable ofconnecting with said main assembly-side connector with a mountingoperation of said feeding unit into said apparatus main assembly,wherein the electric power supplying path is connected with a path fromsaid power source to said unit-side connector via said mainassembly-side connector and is connected with a path from said unit-sideconnector to said motor via said main assembly-side connector.
 20. Animage forming apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising aheater for fixing a toner image formed on the sheet at the nip.